Any online casino will be rife with popular casino games, from slots to poker to blackjack, all the favorites are there. So many people will talk about these as well, however, we often find ourselves forgetting about another favorite - Baccarat.
Baccarat is a much-loved game, although it can also be forgotten among the list of favorite games. It is a true game of chance, and there is much less strategy associated with it than you would find in blackjack, poker, or even roulette.
It is the fact that it relies totally on the chance that most people love it. If you are someone who likes to let their gaming rely on luck alone, perhaps this is the game you have been searching for.
If so, let’s teach you how to play!
The Basics Of Baccarat
The objective of baccarat is simple, and it is this simplicity that makes it so popular.
This is a game that makes use of two hands, there is the banker’s hand, and the player's hand, much like you would find in Blackjack. Like in Blackjack, the hands of these two people will have two cards each.
You can wager on the banker, or you can wager on the player. You will be wagering that their value will be closest to 9. You could also bet on a tie as well.
It is much like blackjack, however, instead of playing yourself, you are placing bets on who will be closest to the sought number. Also instead of needing to reach 21 but no higher, like in Blackjack, in Baccarat, the player and banker are aiming for 9.
You will also note that the player or banker can get a third card depending on the rules of the house. This game is so simple it is great for beginners, or people wanting to play table games who have only ever played slots in the past.
Betting Areas
There are 3 types of bets you will be able to place. These are placed in betting areas, as you play in each of these betting areas you will find there is a different layout depending on which betting area you place in.
The payout will be dictated on the likelihood of the outcome and also the house edge as you may expect.
The player bet is when you bet on the player's hand. Typically, the payout of this bet will be equal at 1:1. The house edge is not crazy high, but you have odds of winning at 44.62%.
You could also bet on the banker's hand, by placing a banker bet. This is lower with a 0.95 payout usually, however, your odds of winning are just above 45%.
If you do not fancy either of these you could bet on a tie, with a payout of 8:1, and a 9:52 chance of winning.
Variations
Much like any other casino game online now, Baccarat will also have multiple variations which you can play.
The online world has opened up an array of opportunities for players to be able to play their favorite games in multiple varieties and ways.
There are four main types of baccarat that you can play online now.
Firstly there is no commission Baccarat, where there will be no commission costs when you place a bet on the banker's hand.
There is also a Baccarat squeeze/ control squeeze in which you will find an increase in the tension as the cards are slowly squeezed into view.
There is also Punto Banco, which is a variation of the game that makes use of 6 to 8 decks and will have some rule variations. For example, the payout is higher for a tie in this version.
Finally, there is Lightning Baccarat, which is a type of game found online with a live dealer that will include randomized bonus payouts that can reach up to 8x.
Valuing The Cards.
Let’s finish off by helping you to understand the basics of the game-the card values.
Each card, like in Blackjack will have a value to help it reach the goal.
Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Tens will be worth 0. Aces are worth 1, and all the other cards are valued at their face value.
Should you go over 9 in Baccarat, the 2nd digit of the hand will now become the hand's value, i.e. 13 = hand value of 3.
At the end of the game, the hand that is worth the most and is closest to 9 will win.